... By the authority of the holy priesthood, I pronounce you legally and lawfully [sic] husband and wife for time and for all eternity. And I seal upon you the blessings

of the holy resurrection, with power to come forth in the morning of the first resurrection And I seal upon

you

the blessings of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and say unto you, be fruitful and multiply and replenish the earth. The benediction follows; and the scribe then enters the marriage on the record.”—(Seer, i. 31.)

It should be added, that the President possesses the Papal prerogative of annulling all marriages contracted under his sanction ;* a prerogative which cannot fail to prove a source of wealth and power. As to marriages celebrated without his authority, they are ipso facto void, in foro conscientia. Consequently either man or woman is at liberty to desert an unbelieving spouse, and take another. An example of this occurred last year in a Welsh village, with which we are well acquainted. An old woman of sixty was converted by the Mormons, and persuaded to emigrate. She had a blind husband, seventy years of age, who entirely depended on her care. The neighbours cried shame on her for deserting her conjugal duties. The clergyman of the parish, and even her landlord the Squire, remonstrated in vain. She declared that "the Lord had called her to come to Zion," and that it was revealed to her that when she reached Deseret she should be restored to youth, or (as she expressed it) "she should get a new * See G. 70, and S. 136.

skin." And she unblushingly avowed her intention of being sealed to another husband, and bearing “a young family" in America. The end of the story is tragic. The deserted husband died of a broken heart a fortnight after his wife's departure; and the old woman herself expired before she reached New Orleans, leaving the surplus of her outfit in the hands of her seducers.

It may easily be imagined that the public announcement of these matrimonial innovations excited much opposition, not only among believers but also among the saints, and particularly among their wives. Even in Utah itself it seems that the customs of Constantinople are not popular with the fair sex. Lieutenant Gunnison tells us that "he placed the subject before a young lady in its practical light," and asked her, "if she would consent to become Mrs. Blank, No. 20? or if, though ranking as No. 1, she would be contented, when the first flush of beauty had departed, to have her husband call at her domicile, and introduce his last bride, No. 17?" The subject, says the Lieutenant, was cut short by the reply, "No, Sir, I would die first." In England, as might be expected, the resistance has been more open and decided. One of the most amusing publications to which the controversy has given rise is a "Dialogue between Nelly and Abby," published in the weekly organ of Mormonism. Nelly is a rebellious saint, and opens the discussion by addressing her more submissive cousin as follows:-"Dear Cousin Abby, I have been very anxious to see you, ever since I heard of the new revelation. I know that nothing has

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ever come up yet in this Church that could stumble you. But I think now, when your John comes to get two or three more wives, you will feel as keenly as any of us." The believing Abby replies, by expressing her sorrow that her cousin's mind is so fluttered" with the new revelation. For her own part, she has " never stumbled at any of the doctrines of the Church, because they all seem so pure." In condescension, however, for Nelly's weakness, she proceeds to explain fully the arguments which have led her to surrender the exclusive possession of "her John." These are resisted by Nelly for some time. She cannot see "what wisdom" there is in "being tied to her George with a lot of other women, who can flatter and simper, and make him believe anything they please." But at last she also is convinced, and exclaims, "I am sorry I ever burnt that revelation! I would not have done it for the world if I had known as much as I do now." She cannot help, however, adding a proviso, "Well, if George does take any other, I should like him to take my sister Anne, for her temper is so obliging and mild.”*

The arguments by which the Mormon writers justify their adoption of these Oriental usages are principally drawn from the Old Testament. The pamphlet on

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Plurality of Wives," at the head of our Article, informs us, that the Latter Day Saints have restored "the family order which God established with Abraham and the Patriarchs."—(P. O. 1.) So we have just seen that in their new marriage service polygamy is designated

*See M. Star, XV., Nos. 15, 16.

as "the blessing of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob." And the Mormon psalmist sings to the same tune

"I am Zionward bound, where the blessings untold,
Which Jehovah conferr'd on his servants of old,
And at which pious Christendom feels so annoy'd,
In this last dispensation again are enjoy'd."

(XV. 143.)

And so we are warned by Elder Spencer, that— "When a man undervalues this promise he not only shows himself to be destitute of saving faith, but he is very liable to become a scoffer and mocker of the last days, speaking evil of such dignities as Abraham and Brigham." (P. O. 12.)

But it would be well if the apologists of polygamy confined themselves to the patriarchal dispensation. For some excuse might then be made for their mistake, considering the vague notions concerning the authority of the Old Testament which prevail among our popular religionists, and remembering that even in our pulpits we too often hear Isaac and Jacob cited as perfect exemplars of Christian life. But when they venture to quote the New Testament in support of their practices, we see at once the impudent dishonesty of the men. The devil has often wrested Scripture to his purpose, but never before with such preposterous perversion and audacious profaneness as that displayed by Joseph Smith and his disciples. One feels indignant, not only at their hypocrisy, but at their folly, in expecting to persuade any one to acquiesce in such palpable distortion of plain words. Thus from the promise that,

whatsoever a man shall leave for the Gospel's sake, he shall receive an hundred fold (Mark, x. 29), the Chancellor of the University of Deseret deduces the following question and answer:- "Q. What reward have men who have faith to forsake their rebellious and unbelieving wives in order to obey the commandments of God?

"A. AN HUNDRED FOLD OF WIVES in this world, and eternal life in the next."-(P. O. 16; see also Seer, 61.)

In the same treatise a carnal interpretation is given to the metaphor which designates the Church as "the Bride." But even these monstrous falsifications of Scripture are surpassed by the arguments which Mr. Hyde (the present chairman of the Apostolic College) extracts from the Gospel narrative itself.* Yet, although the omission of these renders our picture of Mormonism incomplete, we really dare not quote blasphemies so revolting; especially when they are combined with absurdity at which the reader, even while he shuddered, must be provoked to smile.

Such profane distortion of the sacred writings is the less excusable in the Mormonite divines, because they have the power of fabricating new Scripture whenever they please. This power, indeed, they have freely exercised in defence of their harems. It has been revealed, that the measure of a man's "wealth, power, and dominion" in the world to come will depend upon

* See Orson Hyde's Letter, published in the [Mormon] Guardian, and quoted by Mr. Gunnison, p. 68. The same blasphemies are repeated by Orson Pratt in Seer, 159, 169.